


Duality - or, as word-smiths prefer to put it, Metempsychosis.

by LialeeEderian



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Hogwarts Summer Boardinghouse, It's a nuanced relationship, Merlin and Morgana hate each other but also not, More stuff happens, Reincarnation, Strangely enough this story is running out of my arms and into the great unknown, They try to explain their life story- STORIES to Albus Dumbledore and Company
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:49:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25084930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LialeeEderian/pseuds/LialeeEderian
Summary: Merlin and Morgana explain their life stories to Albus Dumbledore and Company.(Harry does the talking and Ginny does the snarking.)
Relationships: Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Merlin & Morgana (Merlin), Merlin/Morgana
Comments: 40
Kudos: 269
Collections: Harry Potter Fanfic Must Reads





	1. Storytime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am aware it was Mordred's blade that killed Arthur, but let's just pretend it was completely-and-not-just-partially Morgana's fault.

Harry and Ginny entered the headmaster’s office with twin glares on their faces. Harry had one hand loosely curled around the sword of Gryffindor, and the other was clenched around Ginny’s wrist.

Ginny, on the other hand, looked ready to murder someone.

Preferably Harry.

“You don’t need to hold my hand,” She said tartly as they came into view of the gathered crowd of worried parents, teachers, and headmaster. “Did you miss me that much, oh great lord of magic?” Blatant disrespect dripped from her very being.

Her family gaped.

Ginny Weasley, who couldn’t even speak a syllable to Harry Potter before the school year – hell, even  _ during  _ it – was snarking against  _ Harry Potter. _

“Ginny…?” Mrs. Weasley murmured in confusion.

Ginny brightened. “Mum! Brilliant.” She raised an eye at Harry. “We’re here. Let go of my hand.”

Harry sighed. “As you wish,  _ my lady,” _ He muttered.

Ginny smirked, pulled forward, and deposited a kiss on her parents’ cheek. “It’s ever so wonderful to have amazing parents, isn’t it,  _ Harry?” _

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, and McGonagall inhaled sharply. “Miss Weasley!” She rebuked. 

Ginny crossed her arms across her chest. “Please, Professor, relax. Merlin knows what I mean.”

Harry sighed. “Really, ‘Gana? Now?”

Ginny shrugged. “You did kill me.”

Harry groaned. “Once! I killed you exactly  _ once! _ And that was because you killed Arthur!”

Mr. Weasley frowned.

Ginny pursed her lips. “And that was enough to traumatize me.”

“You’ve managed to kill me seven times since then, ‘Gana! That’s more than enough revenge.”

“There’s never enough revenge.”

“Ginny!” Mrs. Weasley exploded. “Harry! What in Merlin is the matter with you?”

Harry’s eyes widened, and Ginny burst out laughing. The others watched in stupefied confusion.

“What is so amusing that you just must waste our time laughing?” Snape demanded, eyes heavily-lidded and dark.

Harry groaned. “I forgot that stupid phrase existed.”

Ginny nodded excitedly. “Ah, and you didn’t even grow up in a wizarding family this time around! I did, and let me assure you, the possibilities are- are endless!” She snorted and doubled over, leaving Harry to glare at her with a vehemence the adults were surprised to see. 

“Oh, shut up, Morgana,” He snapped. “This is all your fault anyway. We weren’t supposed to wake up until adulthood, if you must recall.”

“ _ My  _ fault?” Ginny blazed. “It’s your bloody idiocy that landed us in this cycle in the first place!”

“I was dying!” Harry roared. A trinket in the room shattered. “The prophecy was yet unfulfilled!”

“And so you decided reincarnating every generation was the best idea. Brilliant take,  _ Mer _ lin, except you bloody dragged me with you!”

Another contraption exploded.

“Silence!” Dumbledore roared.

Harry flinched.

Ginny inhaled sharply, then turned to face the headmaster, unrepentant.

“I apologize,” Harry said smoothly. “This argument always gets out of hand.”

“And yet we have it every time,” Ginny murmured.

Harry threw her a Look.

She smiled victoriously.

“What happened in the Chamber of Secrets?” The headmaster asked gravely.

Harry sighed. “You should… probably sit down.”

“Yeah,” Ginny snarked. “Harry’s about to become even more famous.”

Harry clenched his wrists. “I apologize in advance for my vulgarity, professors, but fuck you, ‘Gana.”

Mrs. Weasley gasped. “Harry!”

Ginny smirked, leaning back against the wall. “You can only wish.”

“Ginny Weasley!” Mrs. Weasley shouted. “What is wrong with you?!”

Ginny pouted. “Sorry, Mum. He started it.”

Harry waited for a stunned silence to come into place, then shot a smile at Ginny. “I guess I’m the only one to remember 1796, then. Pity. It was such a nice year.”

And to the bemusement of everyone but the two, Ginny turned a bright red, stumbling from her position enough to have to catch her balance. “You bloody-” She began to swear.

Harry cleared his throat. “We were about to tell you what happened in the Chamber, right?” He interrupted, turning back to the headmaster.

Dumbledore blinked. “Yes, indeed, Mr. Potter.” 

It was a testament to them having utterly shocked the supposed most powerful wizard in the room that he didn’t call Harry ‘my boy.’

Ginny sighed, then nodded at Harry. “After you, oh great one.”

Harry rolled his eyes, then placed the sword on the table. “Very well. You should know this isn’t a story of just today. It starts a millennium back – in a land of myth and a time of magic-”

“Would you cut out the dramatics?” Ginny drawled. “It wasn’t a myth because it's true.”

“You just don’t know the art of storytelling.”

“If it’s going to make me dramatic like you, then I really don’t find the downside to not knowing it.”

Harry scoffed. “I remember quite clearly; you were a hundred times more dramatic than me when you were trying to take over-”

“Mr. Potter,” Snape interrupted smoothly. “I suggest you continue your story. Not all of us have an entire day to waste.”

Harry shrugged. “Are you sure you guys don’t want to sit, though? It’s a pretty jarring story. Probably.”

“Well,  _ I  _ would like to,” Ginny announced tartly. “There wasn’t a place to sit in the chamber. At least, not without ruining my robes.”

“Vain,” Harry muttered under his breath.

“Fool,” She countered, just as quietly.

Dumbledore smiled slowly, then raised his wand and waved. The table vanished, leaving behind an ample space where he conjured up a couple of chairs that the five adults and two children settled into.

“As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted,” Harry began again. “In this time of old, there was a prophecy.”

“A terrible prophecy,” Ginny interjected.

“On that, we agree,” Harry said. “But that prophecy stated, in simple terms, that magic would return to the land under the rule of the once and future king, who would be protected by a warlock named Emrys.”

“Bang-up job Emrys did, protecting his king,” Ginny mocked. “Albion never came.”

Harry’s eyes twitched. “Can I silence her?” He asked.

Snape, who always took undue pleasure in Harry’s discomfort, smirked. “No.”

Harry sighed. “Whatever. Anyway, the name this warlock went by normally was Merlin.”

Dumbledore smiled. “You talk of the Arthurian legends,” He said.

Harry nodded. “Yeah. Well, long story short, Morgana ended up killing Arthur, and Albion wasn’t achieved.”

“It could have still happened. But you killed me,” Ginny completed. 

_ “Once," _ Harry growled. “And you were evil. Plus,  _ Arthur  _ was the once and future king, not you.”

“I could have been,” She disagreed. “You never gave me a chance.”

“Are we really going to hash this out again?” Harry asked tiredly. “I’ve given you every single reason for my actions. You just choose not to believe them.”

Ginny glared.

Harry turned back to the adults, of whom Dumbledore’s eyes were twinkling. “You know, don’t you?”

Dumbledore smiled. “I believe I may have figured it out. But please continue. I adore stories.”

Harry gave a confused nod. “Alright… So after Arthur died, Kilgarrah told Me- er, Merlin that the prophecies were shifting, but that Arthur would rise again, and at that point, Albion would rise.”

“Wait,” Mr. Weasley said. “Who is this Kilgarrah? I have heard no mention of him in the old tales.”

“Oh,” Harry hummed. “Kilgarrah was one of the last few dragons of the old religion. The other one was Aithusa and-” He turned to Ginny. “What  _ did  _ happen to Aithusa?”

“You mean, after I died?” She replied coldly.

Harry snorted. “Touché.”

“Dragons don’t speak,” Snape corrected smugly. 

“Dragons  _ today  _ don’t speak,” Harry agreed. “The dragons of the old religion did. And don’t’ ask me why, because I don’t know.” He frowned. “I mean, I  _ think  _ dragons today don’t speak. I could probably talk to them, though, what with the dragonlord ability.” He grinned. “I’ll have to test that at some point.”

McGonagall cleared her throat. “You were saying, Mr. Potter?”

“Right. So Kilgarrah told Merlin that, but it turned out as Merlin helped Queen Guinevere rule Camelot that he was not, in fact, immortal. So he searched up some dusty tomes with the help of the druids and cast a magic that bound his soul to be reborn with every death.”

“Unfortunately,” Ginny stepped in. “His spell went wrong, as it often does, and he bound both his and Morgana’s soul to suffer this eternal torment until stupid Arthur saw fit to rise from his grave.” She swept her hair away from her face. “Really, Merlin, I thought you were supposed to be the lord of all magic. How can you fail such a simple ritual?”

Harry scowled. “I didn’t  _ fail. _ Your soul is just connected to mine. ‘Destiny and doom’ and all that rot. Since mine was sentenced to the cycle of rebirth, so was yours.”

“Sure,” She drawled.

The others stared. Dumbledore’s smile widened. 

Snape scoffed. “You expect us to believe you’re the second coming of  _ Merlin?  _ There must be limits to your arrogance, Potter!”

“There really aren’t,” Ginny remarked. “But he  _ is _ Merlin. And I’m Morgana. And you better hope this life is the one where Arthur rises, Merlin, or when he really does, I will throttle him.” 

“And then we’d be stuck in this cycle until he rises yet again,” Harry said blandly.

Ginny mulled it over. “… Worth it.”

“Also, professor,” Harry answered Snape. “This isn’t really my second coming. It’s… er…” He glanced helplessly at Ginny.

She sighed. “The twenty-first,” She answered.

He grinned. “That.”

“Headmaster!” Snape snapped. “You can’t believe this nonsense-”

Dumbledore smiled. “Why ever not? I believe Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley may, in fact, be telling the truth. How did you awaken, though? I recall you saying you usually awake in adulthood.”

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, well. I woke up when the basilisk bit me. I guess it triggered my psychological and soul memories. I guess the serket stings were pretty traumatic.” He shrugged.

“Pity they didn’t kill you, though,” Ginny said. “I guess I’ll have to try something other than venom next time.”

“You  _ did  _ try something other than poison the seven times you offed me, ‘Gana.” He pleaded. “I’d rather not be killed again.”

Ginny shifted, looked at Harry, then groaned. “Mind you, I’m only listening because I don’t want to disappoint Mum and Dad. Plus, I would hate to kill Harry Potter.”

“Thanks.”

Ginny nodded.

“Then it’s true?” Mrs. Weasley whispered. “You’re Morgana… and _Merlin?”_

Ginny nodded. “Yes. But don’t worry, Mum. I’m still me. I’m still Ginny. I just unlocked the part of me that was sleeping. Early personality change, you could say. Basic psychology.”

“Psychology?” Mr. Weasley asked.

Ginny shrugged. “Forgot the wizarding world is completely shut off from the muggle world.” She hummed. “It really shouldn’t be, you know? Non-magical people have the most amazing inventions.”

“What a brilliant mindset you just adopted,” Harry remarked. 

Ginny sniffed. “I would have learned it earlier, too, but Uther was a trauma in and of himself.”

Mrs. Weasley burst into tears.

Ginny’s eyes widened. “Mum!”

Mr. Weasley sighed. “Don’t worry, sweet- er. Don’t worry. She’s just overwhelmed.” He tried to smile. “Can you give us time to adjust?”

Ginny blinked, swallowed, and nodded.

“Thank you,” Mr. Weasley said, then the couple pulled back to the fire and vanished into the floo network.

Ginny glared. “It’s all your fault!” She shouted at Harry. “Telling them who we were. Seriously? Now no one is going to look at us straight! Mum and Dad-” Her voice broke.

Harry bit his lip. “You did start treating me differently than Ginny Weasley treated Harry Potter first. But…” He hesitated. “I’m sorry, Morgana. Forgive me?” He held out a hand.

She grabbed it. “Never. But I would like a cup of hot chocolate.”

Harry grinned. “I can do that.” He turned to the headmaster and inclined his head. “May we excuse ourselves?”

“No.” Snape barked.

“Of course,” Dumbledore countered. “A cup of hot chocolate may be exactly what you need.”

“Thank you,” Harry said, and the two disappeared with a near soundless pop.

“Headmaster, Potter is lying!” Snape growled.

McGonagall adjusted her robes and stared at the spot the two recently reincarnated idols of magical heritage had just vacated. “Either you accept Merlin has returned,” She advised her former student. “Or believe that Harry Potter is now powerful enough to apparate within Hogwarts.”

“Either way, Severus,” Dumbledore agreed. “Interesting times are coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who are wondering; yes, I am still working on my Anatomization and Networking fic, as well as my Reis fic. This just popped into my mind and refused to leave. True story.  
> I might do future one-shots of this universe. I also might not. But enjoy anyway.


	2. No Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Ginny tries to pretend it's not really her who always gives them away.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am terrible.  
> I also don't know where this came from.  
> Furthermore, I wrote this in the dead of night, so please tell me if you find any mistakes, grammatically, becasue I don't want to look through it, urgh.

Harry swept a hand through his hair and turned to look at Ginny, who was slurping away her second cup of chocolate while making small talk with the elves.

"So..." He said.

"No," She replied.

Harry sighed. "Morgana..." 

"I don't want to face them, okay? Especially since Ron treats me like an actual sister. So does Hermione, come to think of it. If we go back, I can't act the insipid version of myself that I have been around you, and they're going to know something's different." She handed the mug to an elf. "I don't want to face that. Not tonight, at least."

Harry hummed, then nodded. "The magic room it is!"

Ginny blinked. "Merlin, you moron! It's the room of requirement. Plus," She huffed. "I'm not asking you not to go."

Harry shrugged. "You go, I go."

Ginny stuck out her tongue. "Doom."

He grinned. "Destiny."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Shut up and move."

He chuckled. "I always do beat you down."

They walked out of the kitchen, unaware of the hundreds of interested looks at their backs before the painting shut behind them, and the kitchen once again began to buzz with life.

* * *

Ron and Hermione walked to the great hall in the morning, Madam Pomfrey having given them the grudging go-ahead. 

Hermione bit her lip and looked around worriedly. "Where do you think Harry is?" She asked. "Were he and Ginny fine when they came out of the chamber?"

Ron scowled. "I dunno. I went straight to Madam Pomfrey. But... He and Ginny were acting pretty weird when they walked off to Dumbledore's office."

"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione corrected. "And-" Her eyes widened. "Oh! Harry! Ginny!" She called out.

The pair exchanged a glance, then headed over, and the four sat down on the Gryffindor table. "Hermione! Ron!" Harry answered happily. "Brilliant day we're having, yeah?"

Rob blinked. "... Why're you so chipper, mate?"

Hermione tilted her head in agreement.

Ginny burst out laughing. "Okay, this has got to be the easiest you've been found out."

Harry's grin turned to that of embarrassment. "Oh, shut it. I can be happy some days."

"Yeah, as Harry? Hard pass."

Hermione frowned. "What's going on, Harry? And, er..." She shot Ginny an apologetic look. "And how..." She trailed off.

Ron had no such compunctions. "How're you talking to Harry without dying?"

"Ron!" Hermione snapped.

Ginny growled. "Oh, how many spells I know now that I can shove up your-"

Harry put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down." He waited until she huffed and sat. "As for the wonderful explanation that is due you," He said. "I don't think you want to know."

Ginny snorted.

The doors to the great hall flew open before Rona and Hermione could protest. 

"Dumbledore!" Fudge heaved. "I've come to set the record straight!" He was huffing in the most falsely righteous manner. A smirking Lucius Malfoy stood next to him, equal in power and greater in influence.

"Cornelius," Dumbledore greeted. "To what do we owe the pleasure?" 

The din in the hall and quietened to the smallest of whispers as every eye looked upon the minister.

The minister quailed under the thousand stares and the headmaster's sharp gaze. Still, it took a clearing of the throat by his most significant backer for him to regain focus. "Ahem, yes, well. It has come to my attention that You seem unable to safely run this institution."

Loud whispers exploded inside the hall. 

Lucius pursed his lips, then stepped forward, "The ministry has come to the conclusion that you are ill-suited to the... many roles that have been thrust upon you, and therefore have made the decision to relieve you of this duty."

Dumbledore blinked. "Hogwarts is a separate entity to the rule of the ministry," He reasoned.

Lucius smirked. "That is why the minister made the intelligent decision of receiving the go-ahead from the Hogwarts Board of Governers first."

Fudge smiled proudly, oblivious to the cacophony of whispers lauding against him amidst the great hall.

At the staff table, McGonagall paled. Dumbledore showed no difference in expression more than a mere tightening of his lips. "I see." The old man replied. "May I ask who you are appointing in my stead?"

"Albus!" McGonagall hissed.

The old man smiled kindly at his deputy, then turned back to the minister.

The minister floundered.

Lucius did not. "Do not worry, Albus," He drawled. "I will serve as interim headmaster. We cannot tell how far the corruption in your staff holds, after all." 

McGonagall stood up; a stern face pasted over great fury. "Lucius Malfoy-"

Lucius glared. "Sit down, Madam. I am aware you were once my transfiguration professor. Still, I now remain an investigator into the deliberate lack of security provided to the children of the wizarding world." He sneered. "Particularly as one of them is my son." He spared Draco a glance, and to Harry's intense surprise, the ponce winces under a fake smile. Lucius turned back to the staff table, letting the words sink in.

Ron growled under his breath. "Merlin! Mum is going to explode over this."

Hermione seemed to be on the verge of exploding with questions and disagreements. "I've never read something like this happening in Hogwart's history," She mumbled. "Is this possible? Legally? But-" She bit her lip and looked down at her half-empty plate of eggs that had gone cold.

Harry groaned. Great. Another problem.

Ginny scowled. "I don't know about you, Harry," She said pointedly, and rather loudly, at that. "But that idiot reminds me of a magical Uther."

Those close enough to hear her remarks looked at her curiously, none more so that Ron and Hermione, with their mix of confusion and intrigue. 

Harry's eyes widened. "Don't!" He hissed quietly.

Ginny smirked.

Ron frowned. "Don't what?"

Before Harry could try to dissuade Ginny, Lucius began speaking again. "And owing to the fact that the students targeted so far by the petrifications have been muggle-borns," he said with blatant distaste. "My first concern as headmaster shall be to dispel all muggle-borns from Hogwarts until further notice."

There was silence.

Horror rippled through the hall with the force of waves of the sea, and then-

And then it was broken.

"You can't!" Hermione shouted, fury and terror clutching her every word. She slapped a hand over her mouth right after, but her eruption broke a dam that sprung other students to shout out variations of "No!" and "Impossible!"

Lucius scowled. "Enough!" He roared with a  _ sonorus, _ and the din silenced as quickly as any  _ silencio. _ "Behave like civilized citizens, or you shall be treated as beasts," He stated. He motioned towards the Slytherin table, which, although having terrified muggle-borns of there own, had not risen to dispute. "Try to behave as these students have."

Half of the table glowed. The other half wilted.

Lucius only smirked. "Now-" He continued.

"No, I've had quite enough," Ginny said, slipping out of the Gryffindor table. 

The entire hall swiveled to face the tiny sprig of a girl who dared to speak up against the new headmaster.

Ron gaped at his little sister, speechless at her daring.

Hermione narrowed her eyes.

Harry merely groaned and hit his head on the table. "Great," He muttered, then got up and stood beside her.

"You don't need to do that," She told his over her shoulder.

Harry shrugged. "You said it. Magical Uther."

She scoffed. "Like you ever stopped him when there was a non-magical version."

"I matured."

She rolled her eyes, muttering something unintelligible under her breath. 

Harry grinned. He could guess what she was saying, anyway. 

"Yeah!" Came another shout and from a few seats away. Ginny's twin brothers jumped up, George coming to sling a hand around Harry's neck, and Fred doing the same with Ginny. "We aren't going to let the ministry replace the greatest headmaster of at least a century with someone like you!" George agreed.

Fred pulled up his hand to hide a cough that sounded too much like 'an idiot like you'. 

Ginny snorted.

It took seconds, but Ron and Ginny stood up, followed by all their year-mates and seniors from Gryffindor. Hufflepuff, too, began to rise, spurring Ravenclaw, and even some Slytherins.

Lucius purpled. "Sit down!" He snarled. "I am not a headmaster to be trifled with, children! Blatant disrespect for authority will be met with only one response - expulsion!"

"You can't expel students for disrespecting authority over three-quarters of the student body does not acknowledge, Lucius," Dumbledore announced, a hint of laughter rumbling through his words. "It is written in the very first charter of the school and the law of this institution." He gestured at the student body. "But by all means, try to bring in a puppet they will respect." 

Lucius glared. "How dare you-" He cut himself off and turned to Harry and Ginny. "You children should-"

"Lucius," Dumbledore warned quietly. "They are my students, and I will not have you threaten them."

The Malfoy patriarch flinched but did not waver. Instead, he turned back towards the minister. "Come, Cornelius." He swept out of the hall, the pathetic, sweating man at his heels. 

Dumbledore smiled as the doors closed behind them. "What a wonderful bit of entertainment!" He twinkled, and the hall burst into snickers. 

Harry frowned and swept a hand through his hair. "What a toss-up," He muttered. "This is pretty... bad."

Ginny scowled. "It's not bad, Harry, it's terrible. The ministry is weaker than Uther's guards, and you know how easy it was to sneak past them."

Harry shrugged. "I have been kind of away from the wizarding world for a decade or so if you would recall."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes, your scar-y situation. Whatever. Help me overthrow the ministry."

Harry groaned. 

Percy gasped. "Ginny Weasley! You will do no such thing!"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "And how do you presume to stop me?"

Percy flinched. 

Fred and George burst out laughing. "She got you there, Perce," Fred nodded, clapping his shell-shocked brother on the back.

Ron couldn't wait anymore. "What in Merlin is wrong with you two?! You've been acting bloody weird since you came down to breakfast!"

Hermione tugged at his robes, then gave in. "He's not wrong." She chewed on her lip. "It's just that..." She gestured at them hopelessly. 

"You're bloody comfortable around each other," Ron completed. "And it sure as hell wasn't like that before we went into that stupid chamber!"

"Language, Mr. Weasley!" McGonagall reprimanded from the front table, but even the majority of the staff looked interested in the answers the second year was demanding.

Harry sighed, exchanging looks with Ginny.

"You might as well tell them," Ginny said grudgingly. "I'd rather get this over with."

"Like ripping off a Gean Canach," Harry muttered. "Fine," He said out loud. "Just calm down, okay?"

The din silenced. Every student and every adult was hanging on to the words of the savior of the magical world. 

"Yesterday," Harry began. "I faced a basilisk-"

"Don't start there," Ginny interrupted. "Explain it like you did yesterday."

Harry shrugged. "Alright, then. In a land of myth and a time of magic," Ginny groaned, and Dumbledore let out a small chuckle. "There lived a young boy with a prophecy on his shoulders. This prophecy stated that the boy would help the once and future king return magic to the land of Albion."

Hermione gasped. "Merlin," She breathed.

Harry nodded. "Exactly. This boy was Merlin. However, time passed, and at the battle of Camlann, King Arthur met his doom at the hands of his terrible sister Morgana."

Ginny scowled. "Excuse me.  _ He _ was a prat." 

Harry snorted. "No argument there."

Before Hermione could interrupt with her definitely incensed reply, Ginny continued where Harry left off. "So, Merlin decided to kill off the only other option of the once and future queen, Morgana."

"She was never an option," He interjected.

"You don't know that." She cleared when throat at his raised eyebrow. "Anyway, being the indecisive warlock he was, Merlin decided to go to the great talking dragon Kilgarrah and asked him for clarification. The dragon spouted some rubbish about Albion still being possible because Arthur would reincarnate."

Harry nodded, taking over the rapt audience. "However, as Merlin helped Queen Guinevere rule over Camelot, he realized he was not, in fact, as immortal as his druidic name claimed him to be. So, he decided to travel the lands in search of a way to keep living. He managed to stumble upon an old ritual that allowed his soul to be reborn into another's body when he died until Arthur was reborn and Albion achieved."

"Unfortunately," Ginny said. "Since Merlin was..." She shot him a side glance and cleared her throat. "Since Merlin and Morgana's souls were bound together in lieu of them being each other's destiny and doom, Morgana's soul was pulled into this reincarnation process as well."

Harry replied with a satisfied smile. "The two nearly always awakened after they reached adulthood. However, this once, the basilisk that Ha- er,  _ I _ sought to vanquish triggered traumatic memories and, hence sped up the process of awakening." He shrugged. "And once I woke, Morgana did too."

Ron gaped. "You're bloody... Merlin's-"

Harry sighed. "I'd rather you not say my name as a curse." 

Ginny smirked. "But it's hilarious, Merlin."

Harry scowled. "I'd like to see you bear it."

"They don't use my name." She replied flippantly. "All the less of them, though." 

Harry rolled his eyes.

"You're...actually Merlin?" Professor Flitwick squeaked, looking both amazed and terrified. 

Ginny waved a hand. "And Morgana." She announced. "I'll have you know I'm just as amazing as Merlin. Better, in fact, because I've killed him more times than he's killed me."

The students gasped. 

Harry groaned. "I killed you  _ once!" _ He protested.

"And I killed you seven times," Ginny agreed. "Proving my point." She hummed.

"How many times are we to have this conversation?"

"You started it," She pointed out. 

He looked affronted. "I didn't, actually."

Ginny smirked. "You killed me first, so you definitely started it."

Fred snorted. 

George pretended to wipe a tear. "My little sister, all grown up and beating Merlin in a battle of wits."

Ginny smiled widely. "It would only be a true battle once Merlin gains some actual wits."

There were some low whistles from the crowd. 

Hermione giggled.

Harry rolled his eyes again. "Sure, my lady. Try to compensate for your lack of magical skills."

Ginny narrowed her eyes.

Ron snickered. 

Harry winced. "Not that I don't love fighting with you," He hastened to say, an 'I don't' in his eyes. "But, I have a truce to offer."

She smirked. "A 1796 in front of everyone?" She asked innocently, turning the tables.

The crowd frowned in confusion.

Harry pinked. "I still don't regret saying it yesterday," he coughed. "But no." He straightened, and for a second, the people in the hall saw a silhouette of magic and might, and the less worthy cowered in fear and surprise. 

Harry didn't notice.

(Ginny did, smirking at the power he exuded subconsciously.)

"I want you to try not to do the two things you love to do."

Ginny pursed her lips. "Oh, but how ever will I survive without trying to kill you and taking over the world?" She chuckled at the expression of thoughtfulness on her elder brothers' faces. She had always liked Fred and George best. After Bill. "What would I get out of it?"

"Satisfaction," Harry answered blandly.

Ginny stared back.

He adjusted his glasses. "... I'll help you overthrow the ministry."

She smirked. "Deal."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "While inter-student relations and government toppling plans are truly fascinating to behold, I must sadly inform you that these instances do not exempt you from your classes."

The hall groaned as one as students began shuffling away from the gathering.


	3. A Vague Build-up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist.

The first thing Ginny did after waving goodbye to her baffled brothers (And telling them Mum didn’t want her around yet, anyway – which still hurt quite an awful lot), was take Harry’s hand, announce to him that he wasn’t, of course, going back to the Dursleys, and then apparate alongside him to Diagon Alley.

He blinked at her, staring at her as if she were crazy. “If I don’t go to the Dursleys,” He reasoned, extricating his hand from her hold. “Where am I supposed to stay?”

Ginny shrugged. “You’re rich, aren’t you? Buy a house.”

Harry rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I hate you.”

“For making sense? I know.” She tilted her head. “Let’s get you that house first, so we have a base for our ministry toppling plans.”

Harry wondered if it was worth the pain and irritation he would be subjected to if he refused. “… Fine. Gringotts it is,” He mumbled. “But first, let’s eat, shall we? I’m starving, and the trolley only served sweets.”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “It’s your fault for not eating at the feast.”

“Excuse me for being polite to the students who wanted to talk to me!” He huffed. “You’re just mad none of them were fawning over _you.”_

“They obviously don’t recognize true talent,” Ginny answered snobbishly, flipping her hair. “Now come on. The cauldron will probably have a nice lunch.”

Harry shrugged and followed.

Inside the dimly lit pub that really shouldn’t have been their first option for a restaurant, Harry ordered a full serving of lunch and Ginny chose a parfait. As they waited for their food, Harry frowned. “Are there always so many Hogwarts students here at the end of the school year?” He asked.

Ginny tilted her head. “No idea. We always had a celebration at home when the boys came back.” She bit her lip. “But it is weird. Why aren’t they with their families?”

“Some of ‘em are orphans,” A gruff voice answered. Harry and Ginny turned to see Tom floating a platter of their orders to them. “Some don’t look forward to going home. Most have to leave after a bit, anyway, but others work part time somewhere and rent rooms for the summer.” He grinned, depositing the food in front of them. “Nice to meet you again, Harry. And you must be Ms. Weasley. There’s a fancy bit of rumors about you in these parts.”

Harry reddened. “Thank you for the food.”

“And the information,” His companion added. “Call me Ginny if you’re calling him Harry.”

Tom nodded, but his smile slipped off his face as he turned to look at the students going in and out of his establishment. “Poor chaps. Summer’s the worst time for lads like these. Wish I could do more, but I’ve got my own place to run.” He shook his head. “You enjoy your food, and holler if you need anything else, got it?”

They nodded.

“Ginny,” Harry said, as soon as Tom disappeared. “I think I’ve got an idea.”

Ginny took one look at his eyes and groaned. _“No,_ Merlin.”

“But this will justify my expense for a new house as well!”

“Your _living_ there will justify that expense!” She glared at him, but he did not budge. Ginny slumped. “You’re going to do it anyway, aren’t you?”

“Probably.”

“Then fine. Let’s do it then. A summer boardinghouse for Hogwarts students with nowhere else to go.” She scrunched up her nose. “But it better not get in our way of taking over the ministry.”

Harry smirked. “It won’t. In fact, if we handle it right, I’m sure we’ll get more support. And if not support, at least these kids won’t try to stop us.”

“Alright, then,” Ginny said grudgingly. “All for my plans of taking over the-” She coughed. “Forgot I wasn’t doing that this time. Pity.”

Harry snickered, stuffing his face. “All for _my_ goal of saving the world,” he countered ironically.

“Don’t you always?” She said.

* * *

Harry was still gaping when he stumbled out of Gringotts and back to Ginny.

She quirked an eyebrow at him. “What happened?”

“I think I’m richer than you were back in Camelot,” He said faintly.

Ginny smirked. “Obviously. Along with the Longbottoms and the Malfoys, the Potters are the most prestigious of wizarding families.”

Harry glared. “You could have warned me.”

“And lose the chance to have fun at your expense?” She faked gasping. “Never!”

Harry groaned.

Ginny hummed. “What about the house?”

Harry sighed. “There aren’t any wizarding properties left over which perfectly serve my purpose, so I decided to buy one in a non-magical area. It’s around half-an-hour distance from King’s Cross, so that’s good for the students. Plus, it has a lot of extra space, and I’m going to spell it. A lot.”

Ginny frowned. “Non-magical people will notice. Wizards and Witches aren’t really known for their discretion.”

Harry nodded. “Which is why we’ll be holding classes for anyone who chooses to live there. Like the third-year elective, except compulsory.” He blinked and swore. “For the love of Camelot! I have to send a letter to Professor McGonagall.”

“For what?”

“Ron and I chose divination as a subject, but now that I have my memories, I am aware it is inherent and cannot be taught.” He gestured to her preening smile. “Case in point. So I’m thinking of changing it to Ancient Runes.”

“Ooh, that _is_ interesting.” Ginny gushed. “I didn’t learn it from Morgause back in Albion, so studying it was an experience.” She frowned. “One unfortunately cut short. I was being taught by a Master back until Grindlewald killed him off.” She smirked. “But then again, you wouldn’t know anything about masters of any magic, would you?”

He glared. “Oh, pardon me for being non-magical in my past few lives. It’s like I intentionally chose to be.” He snarled. “But aren’t you glad I was one? You’d be sent to a mental institution if you tried to navigate the non-magical world as you are now.”

“I’d apparate away.”

“And break the statue of secrecy.”

Ginny punched his arm. “Shut up, clotpole.”

“Hey!” He protested. “I created that word.”

“And you resemble it so perfectly.” She grinned. “What else? You have that look in your eye that you did back in the late sixteen-hundreds.”

He blinked, taken aback. “I have a look for when I’m excited but also enraged?”

She nodded. “Your eyes narrow a certain way.”

“Well…” Harry trailed off. “You know how I was reluctant to overthrow the ministry?”

Ginny’s eyes widened. “What convinced you?”

“I have two legitimate guardians with more right over me, or, well, only Harry, than the Dursleys.”

“And you’re not with them because of the ministry.” She concluded.

He pursed his lips. “One of them is a werewolf, and according to the ministry’s laws, werewolves can’t even own more than a certain amount of material objects, let alone be granted the guardianship of a child, even if character recommendations place him as a better person than several fully human people.” He scoffed. “Bastards. The second person was thrown into Azkaban for ‘betraying my parents to Voldemort’.”

Ginny raised her eyebrows. “You’re mad that the man who indirectly made you an orphan is rotting in prison.”

“I wouldn’t be mad if he’d actually been given a trial that proved he was the traitor. He was my Dad’s best friend!” He shook his head. “As it is, my gut says he’s innocent.”

“And we all know how many times your instincts ring correct,” Ginny murmured, folding her arms across her chest.

Harry sighed. “I’ve said it a thousand times, Morgana, _I’m sorry for poisoning you._ It went against my entire self to do so, okay? And I regret it to this day. Can you please, for once in your existence, let it _go?”_

Ginny flinched and turned away. “I trusted you, Merlin,” She whispered.

A pained expression flashed across Harry’s face. “I know.”

Ginny inhaled sharply and turned back, eyes blazing. “I forgave you for killing me ten cycles ago. But forgiving you for poisoning me is going to take a much longer time.”

Harry swallowed. “I hadn’t expected you to,” He murmured.

Ginny let a small smile flutter forward. “You told me you forgave me for being an evil bitch.”

He snorted. “It _was_ partly my fault.”

She ignored him. “If you can forgive me for that, I can forgive you for killing me.”

Harry’s brow furrowed. “Hey… if you forgave me ten cycles ago, why in Camelot would you murder me after that?!”

Ginny smirked. “Oh, did I? I seem to have a faulty memory today.”

“Ginny!”

She ran and Harry chased.


	4. A Not-So-Vague Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starring Percy Weasley and Hostelites - exactly in that order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It snowballed.

It took all of five minutes after they reached the Leaking Cauldron on their way back for the fireplace to roar up in indignation and a harried Mrs. Weasley to jump out, her face etched with fear and worry.

“Tom!” She exclaimed, hurrying over to the owner. “Have you seen—”

And then her eyes fell on Ginny and Harry and she broke off, almost running to their table before she pulled Ginny up into a hug. “Young lady, do you have _any_ idea how worried I was?!” She screeched. “Your father is looking for you at the station and-” She broke off, stepping back, and wiped a line of tears off her face. “Stay here,” She commanded both of them, and walked swiftly back to the fireplace, no doubt about to floo her husband.

The Cauldron exploded into whispers.

Harry raised an eyebrow towards his companion. “Doesn’t want you around, huh? Sounds about right.”

Ginny reddened. “Oh, shut up, Harry.”

He grinned.

“Now,” Mrs. Weasley demanded, coming up to them once more, her hands at her hips. “Will you tell me why your brothers just told me you kidnapped Harry and apparated away? _Apparated,_ Ginny! How do you even know how to apparate?!”

Ginny hesitated, then jutted out her chin and stared at her mother right in the eyes. “This _is_ my twenty-first life, Mum. I think I’ve picked up quite a lot.”

Mrs. Weasley flinched.

“Plus, it didn’t look like you wanted me around for a bit so—”

Mrs. Weasley flinched yet again, but this time, she crumpled at Ginny’s side and pulled her into another embrace. “Oh, Ginny…” She mumbled. “I never meant to make you feel like that.”

Ginny’s lower lip trembled, for just a second.

Harry winced.

“I’m…” Mrs. Weasley took a deep breath. “I- I know I left rather abruptly after finding out you were, well. After finding out you were Morgana.”

“Not _were,_ Mum. _Am.”_

Mrs. Weasley closed her eyes. When she opened them again, exactly three heart-wrenching seconds later, they were solid, strong, and ready. “I know, sweetheart,” She said, and Ginny stopped talking. “I didn’t take it well. But that doesn’t mean you’re not my little girl. You are. You’re just _more,_ now.”

Ginny swallowed. “You left, Mum,” She said, and the naked pain in her words made Harry want to magic the world away. It always did.

“I know,” Mrs. Weasley whispered, hands curled around the edge of the table. “I’m so sorry, Ginny.”

A moment… and then Ginny couldn’t resist. She fell into her mother’s welcoming arms and sniffed.

Mrs. Weasley sagged with relief.

Harry smiled softly, leaning back against his seat.

“And you, Harry,” Mrs. Weasley said after Ginny extracted herself from her mother’s hold. “You’re…” The older woman frowned, looking even more uncomfortable.

“Still Harry,” He answered easily, having experienced something along these lines a lot of times over the years.

“Yeah, and a terrible wizard,” Ginny added.

Mrs. Weasley automatically turned a disapproving look at her daughter.

Ginny grinned. “What? I’m better than him, Mum, and he knows it.”

“I know no such thing!” Harry shot back. “You’re just jealous I have more power than you.”

“Power doesn’t make up for skill, _Mer_ lin.”

“Alright, kids,” Mrs. Weasley finally interrupted. “Calm down.” She nodded at the fireplace. “And let’s go to the burrow first. Arthur and I have a lot of questions for you, and then we’ll have to drop Harry off at his aunt and uncle’s.”

Ginny shrugged. “Harry already—”

“Phoned them that I’d be a day or so late,” He cut in, much to Ginny’s consternation. He shot her what he believed to be a significant look.

She rolled her eyes.

Mrs. Weasley breathed out in relief. “That’s good, then. Come on, then. We should be getting home.”

Harry nodded. “Please go on. I’ll come after settling my tab.”

Mrs. Weasley’s brow wrinkled. “Are you sure, Harry? We can wait.”

“No, Mrs. Weasley, it’s fine. And I need to get my trunks back too. Plus, like Ginny said, this is our twenty-first life. If I don’t know how to pay, I probably need to invest in a memory potion.”

Mrs. Weasley laughed.

“You probably need to invest in one anyway,” Ginny muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Harry to hear. He still pretended not to.

“Well, if you’re sure.” Mrs. Weasley said. “You have you clearly say, ‘The Burrow’ when you step into the fire, alright, Harry?”

“Yes, Mrs. Weasley,” Harry grinned. “I know how to use the floo.”

Mrs. Weasley nodded, her cheeks slightly flushed, and turned, hustling her daughter towards the fireplace.

Harry instantly rushed over to Tom, making sure his trunks were still in his pocket, right alongside the pouch of money. “Hey, Tom,” He said, catching the bar-owner’s attention. “Here’s the money for the food,” He counted out a few coins on the table. “And I need to talk to you.”

Tom raised an eyebrow. “What can I help you with, lad?”

Harry grinned. “Something that’ll help both of us.”

“I’m listenin’.”

* * *

The burrow was just as Harry remembered it – cramped and absolutely wonderful.

“You’re late,” an annoyed voice called out, and Ginny came stomping towards him, Ron at her heels.

“Hey, mate!” His friend called out as well. Automatically, it seemed, because then he stilled for a second, probably remembering what Harry and Ginny had confessed to in the Great Hall. Then he shrugged and started moving again.

Harry grinned. Good old Ron. “Hey, Ron. Sorry, Ginny, I was talking to Tom.”

“I know.” She said archly. “Without me.”

Harry shrugged. “It was a chance we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.”

“What’re you guys even talking about?” Ron asked crossly. “And why does Ginny get to know?”

“Because, brother dear,” She drawled. “I’m a centuries old evil witch and I know everything.”

Ron shuddered. “Figures.”

“Excuse me?”

“ _You_ said it.”

“And only I _can_ say it. I’ll cast the bat boogey on you! Bill taught it to me last time.”

Ron shuddered. “Women,” He whispered to Harry.

Harry snickered.

Ginny rolled her eyes. “Well, come on, then. Mum and Dad are waiting in the kitchen.”

Harry nodded, and fell into step behind the two siblings, though Ron waited so he could walk alongside Harry.

It took half a minute for them to walk over to the next room, but those few seconds turned Harry’s stomach to stone, and it kept weighing down his body. He didn’t know why, but the prospect of facing the Weasleys seemed to make him nervous. Which should be crazy because he’d faced quite worse over the years of his existence.

One who was walking right in front of him.

His hands began to shiver. Only slightly, and for only a second, but they shivered, and Harry exploded with confusion.

What the hell?

Shaking his head, he entered the kitchen. “Hello, Mr. Weasley,” Harry greeted. “Sorry about worrying you two.”

“Oh, it’s not your fault, dear,” Mrs. Weasley assured, sending a glare towards Ginny. “Ron told me what happened.”

Harry resisted the urge to snicker.

Ginny shot him a dirty look.

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat, looking distinctly uncomfortable. “Yes, well." He coughed. “… Harry?”

Harry nodded. “I don’t mind whatever you call me, Mr. Weasley. I’ve gotten used to a lot of names over the years.”

“Especially ‘idiot,’” Ginny agreed sagely.

“Like ‘witch’ for you, I assume?” Harry said easily, his tone not at all mocking, unlike what Ginny’s had been.

“Ginny!” Mrs. Weasley reprimanded. “Mind your language.”

Ginny’s mouth fell open. “But Mum!” She protested. “He called me a witch!”

Ron laughed. “That’s what you _are,_ Ginny. I swear I had this conversation with Hermione already,” He added to Harry. “What is it with women?” The last line guaranteed a distracted glare from Mrs. Weasley as well, but Harry grinned.

Ginny scowled. “Stupid language changes.”

Mr. Weasley sighed. “Ginny, Harry, please.” He said.

The two straightened.

The Weasley patriarch smiled tensely. “Your brothers were telling me what happened after… after Lucius Malfoy tried to take over the position of headmaster.”

Ginny nodded. “Storytime, you mean.”

Harry sputtered, slapping his mouth to shut himself up.

Ginny shot him an amused sideways glance, but otherwise ignored him.

Mr. Weasley nodded jerkily. “Er, yes.”

“What about it?” She asked, flippant as always.

Harry had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop another burst of laughter.

“What the bloody hell do you mean, ‘what about it’?” A different voice exploded, and three sets of footsteps rushed into the room.

Ginny sighed, and Percy – a furious expression on his face – slammed his hand onto the kitchen table.

“Percy!” Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. “Language!” She looked horrified. Assumably, Percy didn’t swear.

Percy didn’t look even the slightest bit chagrined. “She said she would _overthrow the ministry,_ Mother! You have to talk some sense into her! You can’t- she can’t just-” He turned back to glare at his younger sister, speechless now.

“Oh,” George piped in from beside Ron, where the twins had stopped to watch with interest. His eyes were gleaming. “But apparently she can, brother dearest.”

Fred nodded with the air of the wise headmaster they all adored. “Exactly, young sir,” He continued. “Sometimes, to overthrow the extremely corrupt, one must state that ‘tis their goal.”

 _“Extremely—_ Mum! They’ve got and Fred and George into it now! You can’t let Ginny do this!”

Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth but then hesitated, turning to her husband for help.

Evidently, they had never before experienced something like this. Though Harry could’ve guessed that part.

Mr. Weasley sighed and rubbed his temple. “Sit down, children.”

“But Dad—” Percy protested.

A rare glare found its place on Mr. Weasley’s face. “Sit,” He repeated.

Percy swallowed, but seconds later, all of them were settled around the kitchen table; Harry next to Ron and Ginny, who found a place near Fred and George. Percy, with a huff, pulled his chair nearer to his parents. And therefore, away from Harry.

It didn’t particularly faze Harry, though. He’d had worse. Especially when Arthur saddled him with dung duty back— Ugh. Even the memory wasn’t funny.

“Now,” Mr. Weasley said to his quiet brood. “One of you explain to me what that means. Top to bottom, and no embellishments.” His eyes flicked past a furious Percy, a mischievous pair of twins, and Ginny, who was raising and eyebrow.

“What?” She asked. “I’m biased. I do genuinely want to overthrow the ministry. And I tend to propagandize when I have a goal in mind.”

“Finally, you realize this,” Harry murmured.

Ginny grinned. “Only for today,” She whispered back, prompting a loud groan that had the Weasleys looking straight at Harry.

“Sorry,” He said. “And I’m pretty biased too, now that I know what sh- stuff the ministry’s been up to.”

Fred sniggered at the near slip.

Mrs. Weasley struggled between disapproval and confusion on whether she could scold Merlin or not. Harry smiled innocently until she sighed in defeat.

“Ron, then,” Mr. Weasley said. “What happened?”

“Er,” Ron said, blinking like a Niffler without gold in sight. “Er. When Ma- Mr. Malfoy left, Ginny said the ministry was a mess, and they had this totally confusing conversation about… uh, something. It made no sense and then they explained the story about them being…” He swallowed. “Merlin and Morgana, and Ginny declared she would overthrow the ministry. Harry decided to help her if she didn’t try to kill him or take over the world this time.” He recited all this without a look in either person’s direction.

“Kill…?” Mrs. Weasley whispered, and even Mr. Weasley looked perturbed.

“Uh, it’s not that bad,” Harry said hastily. “She hasn’t tried to kill me for quite a few cycles. It’s just a joke.”

But no one was listening. Percy was staring triumphantly at Ginny. “See, Mother, Father!” He exclaimed. “This- this person is not Ginny! Ginny would never of something like this.” He scowled. “The books always did say Morgana was evil.”

Harry’s eyes widened, and the table fell into a forbidden minute of silence.

And then Ginny exploded. “Oh, what do _you_ know?!” She stood up and shouted, her eyes shining (with magic, not tears, Harry very well knew. Ginny- no, Morgana hated to cry in front of others). “My life as Morgana was not this mass of evil that everyone assumes it was! I used to—” She halted, inhaled sharply, and sat back down. “Blame Merlin,” She muttered, looking anywhere but at the people staring at her.

Harry felt an absurd mixture of guilt and irritation, but he stamped the latter down. Despite all her arguably not-so-good tendencies, Ginny needed his help. Honestly, everyone _did_ assume she was evil any time they revealed their truths to the people around them. Hell, he’d done a course in Arthurian legends at one point, and even the non-magical people assumed she was evil from the very beginning! He gave a short nod. “It’s true,” He agreed. “I could have saved her from… well, that path, but I pushed her into it.” His eyes hardened. “But that’s all I’m going to say about it,” he snapped at Percy who had opened his mouth to reply. “And let me clarify something. _This,”_ He pointed at the youngest Weasley. “Is Ginny Weasley. She’s eleven years old, and just survived a freaking basilisk. She’s also Morgana, a woman who has lived so many lives that she can tell the difference between right and wrong.” He looked at her, but her eyes were still on the kitchen window, staring warily outside. “She may have some unliked opinions about magic and the wizarding world, but honestly, who doesn’t? I mean, have you _met_ Dumbledore?”

They gasped.

Ginny began to smile.

“Harry!” Mr. Weasley said. “Professor Dumbledore is a great man!”

Harry shrugged. “Of course. In fact, he’s a good man,” He added. “But that doesn’t mean his opinions are always ‘good’. If you knew… well, I don’t like sharing secrets I have no right to share, so.”

“I do,” Ginny said, but she, too, remained silent.

Percy frowned, but it seemed like Ginny and Harry’s outburst had in some way calmed him, because he was no longer brimming with fury. It was either that, or the fact the fact that he was talking to Harry, and Merlin was kind of the hero of the wizarding world. Kind of.

“But what about the ministry?” Percy cut in. “You can’t just take over our government. That’s an abuse of power!”

Harry glanced at Mr. Weasley, but it seemed like now that Percy wasn’t fuming anymore, he was content to just listen to the proceedings. Looking at Ginny provided the same result, so Harry growled deep in his throat and submitted himself to the fate of interrogation-by-Percy-Weasley. “I would usually agree with you, but there are problems when the government itself is, as Fred said, corrupt.”

Fred beamed. “Right-O, Harry!”

Harry snorted.

Percy narrowed his eyes, but thankfully, his voice remained level. “The Ministry is not corrupt,” He argued.

“Yes, it is.” Ginny said easily. “If Lucius Malfoy is in the government, it’s corrupt. That man is like Uther, except worse, because he actually _has_ magic.”

“Uther Pendragon?” Mr. Weasley asked. “Arthur Pendragon’s father?”

Ginny gave a short nod. “Who else would it be? That monster destroyed most of the magical world back then, in an effort to keep Camelot ‘pure’. Like Malfoy wants to keep the ministry pure.” She shook her head. “Besides, Percy,” She added, her voice laced with irony. “It’s not an abuse of power.”

“Yes, it is!” Her elder brother said. “You’re going to use your status as the reincarnations of Merlin and Morgana to steamroll through the government! If that isn’t abuse of power, then I don’t know what is.” He stared at the two with barely concealed disapproval.

It was the last straw. Anger? Harry could deal with that. Irritation? Sure. But damn disapproval, because Percy Weasley had no right whatsoever to push his expectations on a pair of children even if those children were reincarnations of centuries old magical beings. “Do you want to know what the actual abuse of power is, Percy?” He said quietly, but all eyes turned to him. He was so infuriated, he didn’t even dwell on the spark of anticipation in Ginny’s eyes that would otherwise have made him want to stop what he was doing just to spite her. “Do you want to know the sordid secrets your stupid Ministry is hiding? Because I can lay them down in front of you, and they won’t even get me in trouble because they’re public knowledge.”

Percy swallowed. “… You’re lying,” He said hoarsely.

Harry laughed mirthlessly. “I have proof. I don’t need to lie.” He pulled out an envelope from his pocket and slid it towards the prefect. “Open it.”

After a beat of concern, Percy did. His brow furrowed as he read through the list of names on the parchment, and he turned to look at Harry in confusion. “What’s this? None of these people work at the ministry.”

Harry gestured to the page again, and Percy sighed. “Alright then. These names are Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Alice Longbottom, and Marlene McKinnon.”

Mr. Weasley drew in a surprised breath, and Mrs. Weasley gasped. “How do you…” She whispered.

Percy frowned and turned to them. “You know these people?”

Mrs. Weasley floundered.

Harry held up a hand. “It’s fine, Mrs. Weasley. I can answer that.” Percy turned back to him, as did the rest of the Weasley children, curiosity overcoming any wariness they may have held.

Only Ginny leaned back casually, watching everything with a small grin.

“I went to Gringotts,” He began. “And asked them a bit about my inheritance and such. I should’ve done it when I was eleven, but before getting my Merlin memories, I admit that I didn’t know much about the wizarding world. The Dursleys…” He shook his head, ignoring Ginny’s sudden sharp look. “Anyway, they told me my parents designated a list of people I should live with if anything were to happen to them.”

“Then why aren’t you living with any of these guys?” Ron burst.

Fred and George looked confused as well, though their eyes were more narrowed than anything.

Percy remained silent.

“Marlene McKinnon died in death eater raids,” Harry listed off emotionlessly. “Frank and Alice Longbottom were unable to take me, once again because of death eaters. Peter Pettigrew, supposedly, is dead, once again because of a death eater.”

Mr. Weasley frowned. “Harry, Pettigrew _is_ dead.”

Percy shook his head. “Either way, what does that have to do with the ministry?”

“I’m getting there,” Harry answered. “And the only thing found of Pettigrew’s body, Mr. Weasley, was his finger.”

Ron turned green.

“Because he was blown up when—” Mr. Weasley stopped.

Harry huffed. “When Sirius Black killed him and thirteen other muggles? That’s what the ministry says, doesn’t it?”

Mr. Weasley looked pained. “Harry…”

“Don’t worry, sir. I know what Sirius was accused of. I mean, it is written in the newspapers and the public records and anywhere I chose to look.”

Percy looked apprehensive at the admission, but this time, did not interrupt.

Harry smiled coldly. “Do you want to know the one thing that no newspaper reported? The one thing the ministry tries to hide?”

Percy swallowed. “… What is it?”

“Sirius Black did not receive a trial.”

Percy’s eyes widened. Mr. Weasley looked down, and his wife bit her lip, clutching at his hand.

“No trial?” Fred asked, and his eyes were uncharacteristically serious.

Harry nodded.

“They found him in the middle of the blown-up street,” Mr. Weasley tried to explain. “And Pettigrew’s finger was at his feet while the bodies of the muggles were around him.”

“Exactly.” Harry agreed, and confusion bloomed across the older man’s face.

“What do you mean?”

“The corpses of the people he apparently blew up were all around him. Right?”

Mr. Weasley nodded slowly.

“Then why wasn’t Pettigrew’s? He was blown up by the same spell.”

Mr. Weasley blinked. “I… Pettigrew was the closest to the spell.” He said, but he was starting to look just as suspicious.

“Alright,” Harry said. “Let’s say Pettigrew was the closest. Why didn’t his entire body evaporate then? Why was that one finger left?”

Mr. Weasley blinked.

“You’re saying Pettigrew escaped?” Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. “Who knows. The ministry certainly doesn’t, with how they chose not to give Sirius a trial.”

Percy struggled. “But that doesn’t mean the ministry’s corrupt. They thought they had all the proof! Just because of one mistake—”

“If they’re wrong, they landed an innocent man in a prison guarded by soul sucking monsters,” Harry said bluntly, and the truth slapped Percy in the face. “Why do you think they didn’t revisit the trial after the war ended, or the minister of magic changed?” He shook his head. “Showing the public that he’s letting an innocent man stay in Azkaban? Fudge would never get re-elected.”

Percy sputtered.

Harry shrugged. “Let’s go to the next name on the list. Remus Lupin.”

“What, was he falsely accused by the ministry too?” George offered.

Fred looked like he was about to add into that idea, and as Harry knew that wasn’t going to go anywhere (no matter how amusing it would be), he quickly cleared his throat. “Er, no. He was not falsely accused by the ministry.” He sighed. “Remus Lupin was a Gryffindor student who graduated in 1978.” He nodded towards Percy. “He was the Gryffindor prefect for his last three years and got seven core NEWTs and three elective ones.”

Fred and George groaned in disappointment, but Percy’s eyes lit up in awe.

Harry barraged on. “Right now, he works part time in a second-hand bookshop in the muggle world.”

Percy stilled. “What? But he could get any job he wanted in the ministry!”

“No, he cannot,” Harry said. “The law this ministry upholds ensures he can’t get any job in the wizarding world. Not one sanctioned by the government at least.”

“What?” Percy asked faintly. “But- but why? What did he _do?”_

“He did nothing!” Harry shouted, the rage in him exploding outside. “He was just unlucky enough to be bitten by a damn werewolf when he was a kid!” He rubbed his eyes. “He was a star student while he was a werewolf. He fought against Voldemort to help save the wizarding world while still being a werewolf. And now he can’t even have a place in it because the ministry has proclaimed that all werewolves are dark creatures. They raised the prices for the ingredients of the wolfsbane potion and because he can’t find a job in the wizarding, can’t hold a job in the muggle one because of being out of commission on full moons, he doesn’t even have enough money to get the potion every month.” He swallowed, and turned to look at Ginny, who was staring at him with a hint of compassion he hadn’t seen in her eyes for a long time. “Do you have any idea what it feels like to be considered lower than a human? Because that’s what werewolves are made to feel like in this rule. And they _are_ human. Probably none of them even have a choice when they were bitten. So, tell me, Percy,” Harry spat. “Is your ministry so pure and innocent now?”

Percy was silent.

Ginny smiled. “Well, that was educational. Are we going on a magical creature freeing rampage too, oh lord of magic?”

Harry couldn’t help quirking a smile. “Why not? It might be fun.”

Ginny started laughing. “I still don’t know why you even like them. They try to kill you like, all the time.”

“They do not!”

Ginny raised an eyebrow. “It feels like you really need that memory potion, _Mer_ lin, because you don’t seem to remember the truth.”

Harry flushed, and the twins burst out laughing.

“Once again,” Fred proclaimed. “Our little sister has bested the legend of Merlin. We are not worthy!” He and George slid out of the chairs and began to bow theatrically.

Ginny giggled and even her parents started chuckling.

Percy remained silent, drawing into himself. “I– I need to think,” He whispered, and stumbled out of the room without another look back.

Harry’s smile faded. “Damn it,” He murmured.

Mrs. Weasley looked worried. “Percy…” She said quietly.

“He’ll come around,” Mr. Weasley said finally. “He’s been angrier before. When Fred and George prank him, for instance.”

The twin beamed.

Mr. Weasley shook his head. “You just made him think a little, Harry. Don’t worry.”

Harry nodded.

“Well. This was… interesting. Are you staying the night, Harry?”

Mrs. Weasley nodded for him. “You can drop him home tomorrow, dear. He needs a bit of a rest, I think.”

“That would be nice,” Harry admitted.

Mrs. Weasley smiled. “Ron and Ginny can take you to the garden for the afternoon.”

Ron shrugged. “Suits me.” He clambered out of his seat. “Coming, mate?”

Harry nodded, and he and Ginny began to follow Ron.

“Well, Hermione’s going to kill you,” Ron said over his shoulder as they left the house.

Harry raised his eyebrows. “What for? I haven’t even done anything yet.”

Ron snorted, stopping in the middle of the garden to turn to look at Harry. “Seriously? Mate, you just gave a whole lecture to Percy with who knows how much information. Hermione’s going to hate that she missed it.”

Ginny snickered. “I’d love to see that confrontation,” She agreed.

Ron nodded. “Besides, that was brilliant!”

“It certainly was!” George shouted out behind them, and the three turned to see the twins running up to them with identical looks of awe on their faces.

“You lectured Percy in from of Mum and Da,” Fred agreed. “And they couldn’t say a thing to stop you!”

“Merlin, Harry, you’re our hero!” Then George blinked and began to laugh. _“Merlin,”_ He said between breaths.

Harry pouted, while the rest of the Weasleys began to laugh alongside George.

“You have to admit, Harry, it’s funny,” Ginny told him, nudging him in the ribs once they’d all calmed down, and had begun walking again, this time with Fred and George as well.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Never going to admit that.”

“Pity.”

The rest of the trek to the lake was steeped in jokes and fun. Harry’s shoulders lost their tenseness along the way, and he didn’t even notice. The Weasleys had skill, he had to admit – the skill of making him feel at home.

Half an hour after splashing, water fights, and a strange case of Harry and Ginny sharing a fond smile (that never happened before, Harry thought. At least not in the last century), the group fell back on the grass on the bank, staring up at the happily blue sky.

“Ugh, now I’m all wet,” Ron complained. “I’ll have to change when we get back.”

“We’re all wet, dollophead,” Harry replied cheerfully, and then he smirked, because why not? “But not all of us are going to change.” He waved a hand, his eyes glowed gold, and a warm wind flew through him, taking the dampness away. “Ah, such fun being dry.”

Ron and Fred sputtered, their eyes wide.

George began to laugh, though his eyes, too, were wide with awe.

Ginny smirked right back. “Really? You seem quite wet to me.” And she made some of the water fly from the lake and fall on Harry with a vengeance.

Harry should have expected that. Really, he should have.

But everyone else started laughing, and all Harry could do was smooth his hair away from his eyes, and shrug. “Can’t help that you’re jealous.”

“Jealous of you?” Ginny scoffed. “In your dreams, Potter.” She brightened. “You know, it’s just as good mocking you with ‘Potter’ as it is with Merlin!”

“Sure,” Harry agreed slyly. “If you want to sound like Malfoy.”

Ginny gagged.

Fred recovered. “Never mind that,” He said. “I’d forgotten you two were using magic. What about the underage magic law?” He looked extremely interested and drew the attention of his brothers as well.

Ginny and Harry exchanged a glance, but it was Ginny who answered. “Well, we _are_ Morgana and Merlin,” She said drily. “I think we’d know how break a measly magic monitoring spell.” She shook her head. “Besides, did you see us use our wands? Can’t break the law without a wand.”

“I mean,” Harry muttered. “You can.”

“Shut up, Harry.”

Fred began to smile. “Magic huh. Say, little sister, what are your opinions on helping us out a little bit? Purely innocent, of course.”

Ginny huffed in derision. “Innocent, my arse. If you two were ever innocent, then I’d kiss Merlin.”

“Oi!” Harry protested. “Don’t drag me into this!”

“Trust me, Merlin, I don’t want to kiss you.”

Harry had half a mind to bring up 1796 again. Then he shrugged and pushed past. “Anyway,” He told George because Fred was still in dreamland. “You don’t really need us to help you out. Just learn wandless magic. It’s not like it’s hard.”

George’s mouth fell open. “It’s not _hard’?_ Bloody hell, Harry. I think you’re off your rocker.”

Ron rolled his eyes. “He’s _Merlin,_ George. You really think wandless magic was difficult for him?”

Harry blushed.

“Point taken,” George agreed.

Fred snapped out of his daydream. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go make some pranks! Gin here’ll help us out.”

George nodded and pulled up. They were about to drag a willing Ginny away with them when Ron frowned. “Wait,” He said. “I want to know what you were talking about.”

“When?” Ginny asked, a bored expression on her face.

Ron struggled to remember the words. “You know, when Harry came back, and you told him off for talking to Tom.” He shook his head. “Who’s Tom?” He turned to Harry. “And what were you talking to him about?”

“Tom, the owner-of-the-Leaky-Cauldron-Tom?” Fred asked.

“No,” Ginny snarked. “Tom-Riddle-Tom. _Of course_ we mean the owner of the Leaky Cauldron. Which other Toms would we even know?”

Fred shrugged. “You’re the one who mentioned this other Tom.”

“Ugh,” Ginny said. “Fine. Whatever.”

“And what were you talking to him about?” George asked when the two stopped bickering.

Harry sighed. Guess it was going to come out sooner than later. “A hostel.”

“What?” Ron said blankly.

Ginny laughed, but George and Fred looked the same as Ron.

“You mean like the Hogwarts dorms?” George asked slowly after mulling over it for a while.

Harry gave a short nod. “Ginny declared I was not to go back to the Dursley’s—”

“That much I agree with,” Ron muttered.

“Yeah, Mum didn’t believe us, but bars on the window?” Fred shook his head pityingly. Dramatic as always. “You need to get out of there, mate.”

Ginny smirked, looking proud of herself. “Exactly what I said.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “You do know they have legal control over where I can live? And until I have another guardian lined up, I won’t be able to contest their claim to their guardianship of me. And if I do it anyway, the non-magicals are going to send me to a foster home, and trust me, no one wants that.”

Ginny growled. _“Harry…”_

Harry grinned. “In a normal situation.” He added smoothly. “The Dursleys aren’t a normal situation.”

Fred and George began to laugh.

Ginny began to look irritated.

Harry hurriedly continued. “They would rather have me disappear from their lives forever, to be honest. So Landsdowne road it is.” He nodded at Ron. “That’s what I was talking about. Ginny convinced me to buy a house, and then we went to Tom’s and realized there were a bunch of students at the cauldron who either didn’t want to go home or couldn’t, and I decided I might as well do something about it. Value to the home and all that.”

Ron gaped. “You’re going to get your own _house?”_

George whistled. “Ickle Harrykins is all grown up!”

“And finding homes for us poor students,” Fred agreed, his eyes somewhat awed, even if his expression was not.

Harry reddened. “Er, anyway, that’s why I was talking to Tom. He knows who needs a home for the summer and who doesn’t, so…” He frowned. “You know what? We should ask around at Hogwarts the next term too. I reckon there’ll be people who don’t tell anyone they need a place for the summer.” He sighed. “Might need to get more places though. I wonder how many people will want to stay.” He winced. “But I’ll have to do a fundraiser for that. Even this place was expensive.”

Ginny frowned. “That’s unfortunate. Well, at least your place is assured for now. When will it be ready?”

Harry hummed. “At least a week to go through all the processes. The goblins have a real estate contact who works with non-magicals, so I’ll be leaving everything up to them, and before giving the final go ahead, I do have to visit the place to check it out, design a magical expansion blueprint with the architects, and generally plan stuff. So, I will be living with the Dursley’s till then.”

Ron was still gaping, and there was an ugly glint of envy in his eyes that made Harry flinch. “You’re getting your own house.” He repeated.

Harry nodded. “… I’ll be getting a job, too,” He said in a small voice, and ginny turned sharply towards him, though none of the others seemed to notice a difference. “To make up for the daily cost.”

Ginny glared at Ron before he could speak again. “Alright, let’s go. I’m tired of this place.”

“Already?” Fred piped up, hooking an arm around her shoulders. “You must e anticipating our pranks, sister dear.”

George grinned. “Oh, such sights we shall see! Harry, you’re letting us have a room in that house for our prank shop experiments, right?”

Fred snickered, and Ron hesitantly joined in.

It was obviously a joke.

Harry shrugged. “Sure. Let’s do it.”

Fred stilled. “Um. What?”

George couldn’t speak at all.

Ginny laughed. “I think you broke them, Harry. You really ought not to have offered.”

“Why?” He asked curiously. “I like their pranks.”

Fred’s eyes glinted.

George beamed. “Alright, Harry, you convinced us. You can be our silent partner!”

“Wait, what?”

Fred nodded enthusiastically. “No take backs, Harry, binding words and all that!” He tugged Ginny and she stumbled forwards, and the three began walking away. “Thanks!” He shouted. “We’ll tell you when we’ve got all our stuff ready!”

Harry watched as they walked away, unable to say a word.

And then his mouth unlocked, and Ginny shot him a smirk over her shoulder.

Bloody hell. What was it with these Weasleys?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remind me if you find any easy-to-correct errors and typos. If you find a big problem, you're welcome to point that out too, but just warn me with a *Big problem coming up* banner in your comment, haha.  
> In other news, this might have escaped my limits and gone into story territory.  
> THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A ONE SHOT.  
> By the way, if you hadn't already noticed, this pretty much slipped away from canon and escaped to an alternate universe. An alternate universe WAY FAR away from canon.  
> So.  
> Also, thank you so much for all the support and the laughter! Sorry this chapter is a bit more serious, haha, though it ended up that way somehow. Honestly, in this story, I'm not particularly doing the writing, I'm letting the characters do it for me, which I surprisingly did not know I wasn't doing before this story.  
> Huh. You learn new things every day.  
> See you next chapter if or when I write it!


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